DisplAir brings interactivity to FogScreen projection display

Finnish company FogScreen has been wowing attendees at major events, trade shows and conventions and giving advertisers another way to capture our attention for over five years now with its FogScreen technology - a display system that projects images onto a curtain of fog so they appear to float in the air. Now Russian company DisplAir has added some interactivity to the technology by giving it multi-touch capabilities that allows users to manipulate projected images in mid-air.

Through the use of an infrared camera, DisplAir says its interactive display is able to handle up to 1,500 finger taps simultaneously to accommodate multiple users with 1 cm (0.39 in) accuracy and a time delay of less than 0.2 seconds. The system allows users to manipulate virtual 3D objects and moving images in real time using gestures as well as letting them select menu options and type on an "on screen" keyboard. The software even allows users to draw in the air with their fingers and the 0.2 seconds response time makes interactive mid-air games possible.

The DisplAir system supports virtual screens of up to 142 inches (360 cm) in size with prices expected to range from US$4,000 to $30,000 should it become commercially available. The company is currently seeking investors to make this happen.

Because the images are projected onto a thin layer of cold fog the resolution isn't exactly high def or consistent, but it's definitely eye-catching as can be seen in the video below.

Darren's love of technology started in primary school with a Nintendo Game & Watch Donkey Kong (still functioning) and a Commodore VIC 20 computer (not still functioning). In high school he upgraded to a 286 PC, and he's been following Moore's law ever since. This love of technology continued through a number of university courses and crappy jobs until 2008, when his interests found a home at Gizmag. All articles by Darren Quick